Director, Corporate Affairs

Airwallex

Airwallex

Sydney, NSW, Australia
Posted on Jan 4, 2024
Airwallex is the leading financial technology platform for modern businesses growing beyond borders. With one of the world’s most powerful payments and banking infrastructure, our technology empowers businesses of all sizes to accept payments, move money globally, and simplify their financial operations, all in one single platform.
Established in 2015 in Melbourne, our purpose is to connect entrepreneurs, business builders, makers and creators with opportunities in every corner of the world. Today, Airwallex has a global footprint across Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America.
Reporting to the Global Head of Corporate Affairs, with a dotted line to the General Manager for ANZ, you will play an instrumental role in helping to build Airwallex’s presence in the ANZ region and promote and protect Airwallex’s reputation globally at a time of rapid expansion.
We seek a seasoned corporate communicator with public affairs, issues management, media relations and thought leadership expertise to help Airwallex further build and protect its brand in ANZ through differentiated narratives, scrappy newsjacking and targeted stakeholder engagement.
Your role requires extensive communication engagement and relationship-building with external stakeholders including media, conference organizers, industry leaders, customers, analysts and regulators – as well as internal stakeholders across the company. This role will have significant c-suite exposure and requires executive presence, strategic sensibility and business savvy. You will also be representing Airwallex as a spokesperson with seniority and with credible knowledge of our business.
The ideal candidate has at least 15 years experience, with a blend of agency and in-house roles, including experience in highly-regulated industries and B2B technology, prior enterprise tech, fintech or payments experience preferred but not required.
As a leading member of our high-performing team, you will have an opportunity to join and strengthen our vision to shape Airwallex’s successful growth trajectory.

Responsibilities:

  • Lead and implement a wide-ranging stakeholder communications and engagement strategy for Airwallex’s ANZ business, focusing particularly on media and industry influencers.
  • Devise and implement a holistic engagement program that includes providing access to senior media contacts to strengthen Airwallex’s reputation
  • Help shape the external profile of our global leadership and what they should be known for in the region, and how it fits into the company’s global corporate affairs strategy
  • Contribute to and work with the Corporate Affairs team to update Airwallex’s messaging playbook including on key policy issues
  • Represent Airwallex as a key spokesperson and manage all “press office” duties for the Americas region
  • Proactively initiate campaigns including media placements and conference keynote opportunities to position Airwallex as a thought leader in tech and business. Partner deeply with marketing and sales colleagues for media and conference opportunities.
  • Provide counsel as a trusted advisor, help assess reputational risk matters and handle sensitive and crisis communication
  • Implement all external and internal communication efforts in ANZ, including corporate, product, customer and partnership announcements
  • Supervise agency relationships, provide guidance and optimize output

What you will bring:

  • Solid domain knowledge in public affairs and policy development, media relations, internal and external communications
  • Direct experience and working relationship with journalists, producers and editors
  • Understanding of leading industry groups and other thought leading organizations in our space
  • Proven track record and ability to deliver tangible outcomes
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication ability, strong executive presence
  • Strong management skills and proven ability to influence and collaborate across functions
  • Experience working across international markets with a culturally diverse team
  • Proven consensus building and interpersonal skills
  • Comfort with ambiguity and the ability to problem solve, test and learn. The resilience to try and try again
  • Comfortable in a fast-pace environment, highly-adaptable, able to reprioritize and change gears quickly

The person who will succeed in this role is:

  • A strategic thinker, do-er and self-starter who is able to operate at a high level to understand strategic objectives while not being afraid to roll up your sleeves to execute and implement with good attention to detail
  • A quick learner who acts in real-time and able to problem-solve and respond to fast-changing situations
  • A team player with excellent collaboration and interpersonal skills who knows how to adapt to different cultures and personalities
  • A grounded person who exhibits high-degree of professional objectivity, integrity, awareness and maturity with values aligned to Airwallex’s
  • A strong communicator and culture-carrier who is able to exert influence and impact with executives and senior leaders in the company
Life at Airwallex:
💸We commit to industry-leading salaries and rewards
💲We share our business success through every employee receiving equity
💻 Two epic working spaces in the heart of Melbourne and Sydney
🥗On-site snacks, think fully stocked fridges, beers, ice-creams
💳 Your own Airwallex Virtual Card, with $1000 per year to spend on physical, lifestyle, health, or charitable donations
🧘Access to our mental wellness platform to provide personalised, private support, including coaching and EAP sessions
🎂 Enjoy a paid day off on your birthday to celebrate YOU
👪Generous parental leave, baby bonding leave, and pregnancy loss leaves
💵Paid community and volunteer leave
💸Generous Employee Referral Program rewards for referring top talent
Airwallex is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and anyone seeking employment at Airwallex is considered based on merit, qualifications, competence and talent. We don’t regard colour, religion, race, national origin, sexual orientation, ancestry, citizenship, sex, marital or family status, disability, gender, or any other legally protected status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.